A solid state image pickup device which can prevent color mixture by using a layout of a capacitor region provided separately from a floating diffusion region and a camera using such a device are provided. A photodiode region is a rectangular region including a photodiode. A capacitor region includes a carrier holding unit and is arranged on one side of the rectangle of the photodiode region as a region having a side longer than the one side. In a MOS unit region, an output unit region including an output unit having a side longer than the other side which crosses the one side of the rectangle of the photodiode region is arranged on the other side. A gate region and the FD region are arranged between the photodiode region and the capacitor region.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A solid state image pickup device comprising a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes: a photoelectric conversion unit for generating electronic carriers based on an incident light; a carrier holding unit for accumulating the electronic carriers generated in the photoelectric conversion unit; and a plurality of transistors for outputting a signal of the pixel, wherein the matrix of the plurality of pixels includes first and second pixel columns adjacent to each other, and first and second pixel rows adjacent to each other, wherein the carrier holding unit of a pixel included in the first pixel column is arranged between the photoelectric conversion unit of a pixel included in the first pixel column and the photoelectric conversion unit of a pixel included in the second pixel column, and wherein the plurality of transistors of a pixel included in the first pixel row are arranged between a photoelectric conversion unit of a pixel included in the first pixel row and the photoelectric conversion unit of a pixel included in the second pixel row.
2. The solid state image pickup device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of transistors include a reset unit configured to reset a potential of a floating diffusion region.
3. The solid state image pickup device according to claim 2 , wherein the reset unit has a drain region commonly used as the floating diffusion region.
4. The solid state image pickup device according to claim 2 , wherein the floating diffusion region is connected through a switch to one terminal of the carrier holding unit, and the switch which is commonly used as a drain region of the reset unit.
5. The solid state image pickup device according to claim 1 , wherein the floating diffusion region and the carrier holding unit are connected through a switch.
6. The solid state image pickup device according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic carrier generated in the photoelectric conversion unit is held by the holding unit, the electronic carrier held by the holding unit is held by a floating diffusion region, and a signal based on the electronic carrier held by the floating diffusion region is outputted from an output portion.
7. The solid state image pickup device according to claim 1 , the solid state image pickup device being included in a camera comprising: a lens for focusing an optical image onto the solid state image pickup device; and a diaphragm adapted to vary a quantity of light which passes through the lens.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
January 29, 2013
November 25, 2014
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